How can I work on the business instead of in it?

Q - I'm so busy running my business that I am worried I am not developing the business. How can I work ON the business instead of IN IT.

A - This problem used to be confined to small business owners, who found themselves holding all, or most, of the job titles in their company. However it is becoming more and more common in larger organisations, where resource and skill shortages mean that managers often find themselves sucked into day to day operational activities. Your first task is to identify the root cause of why this is happening, and make it a priority to be fixed. If you are short of resources, are you focussing on recruiting them? Perhaps you don’t delegate enough because you don’t have the right people working for you - then it is time to make some tough decisions. If you are short of skills, do you have clear development plans to increase them? Next remind yourself of your role, and define what success looks like for you and your business / area. That way you will know if you are doing the right things to be successful.